


Can't Be Too Careful

by ronans



Series: Prompts [18]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M, Post Season 4, Sickness, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-02-19
Packaged: 2018-03-13 20:28:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3395330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ronans/pseuds/ronans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><strong>Prompt:</strong> Yev gets sick, nothing serious but like a cold, and Ian and Mickey go crazy with worrying over him - <a href="http://southsidemilkovich.tumblr.com/post/111504246779/can-you-do-a-prompt-where-yev-gets-sick-nothing">Anon</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't Be Too Careful

‘Fuck!’ Ian sits up abruptly but keeps his grip on the baby that had previously been napping with him on his chest. He whips his head around the living room to try and find what the fuck had woken him up but the house is quiet.

Ian frowns and glances down at Yevgeny, some of his hair falling in front of his eyes, when Yev lets out a tiny sneeze.

‘So you woke me up, huh?’ Ian says softly, stroking his hand over Yev’s wispy hair. He scrunches up his nose and then sneezes again, his forehead hitting Ian’s chest with the force of it. ‘Shit,’ Ian mutters, hoisting Yev back up so he can see his face again. ‘Colds are the worst.’

Yev just frowns and rubs his fist into one of his eyes.

Ian chuckles and then stands up, cupping the back of the baby’s head and letting him rest in the crook of his neck as he makes his way to the kitchen. ‘That’s a hell of a frowny face you got there, little guy.’ Yev snuffles into Ian’s neck and coughs quietly. ‘Can babies take cough medicine?’ Ian mumbles to himself, digging around in one of the drawers because he’s sure that out of all the ton of random junk in there, there’s got to be some form of cold medicine. Right at the back there’s a dark green bottle with a peeling label on it that he’s pretty sure is cough syrup. He turns it around to read the instructions and mouths the words under his breath, keeping one arm firmly around Yev. He rolls his eyes at the warning label and chucks the bottle back into the cluttered drawer. ‘Nope. Sorry, Yevy, cough syrup’s not for babies. We’re gonna have to wait for Mickey to get home, maybe even your mom.’

Yev doesn’t really seem to care about Ian’s explanation, rather focusing on wrinkling his nose again. ‘Uh oh, you’re gonna sneeze again? If you give this cold to me, your dad is going to be mad.’ Ian watches the frustration on Yev’s face before he finally lurches forward and sneezes. Ian presses his lips together in concern as Yev starts to cry, his big blue eyes spilling tears down his cheeks.

‘Shhh,’ Ian hums, rocking him from side to side, hugging him close. He remembers watching Fiona do this with Liam when he used to get sick, maybe even with Ian himself when they were both too small to really know what to do. Ian bites his lip and listens as Yev starts to calm down, his sobs getting shakier and quieter. ‘It’s okay,’ he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the side of Yev’s head, still rocking him.

‘What’re we gonna do with you, huh?’ He sighs into Yev’s neck. He’s somehow managed to make it through almost the entire winter without getting sick, and as soon as Ian’s left alone to take care of Yev for the first time since he’s been out of bed it just so happens that he catches a cold. ‘Your dad’ll be home soon, okay?’ Ian reassures him as he starts to whimper again.

Ian goes into Svetlana’s room, still clutching Yev, and picks up the baby blanket he sleeps with, tucking it under Yev’s chin. He swipes his tongue over his chapped lips and stares down at the top of Yevgeny’s head, placing the back of his hand against the baby’s forehead. He draws his eyebrows together and keeps his hand there as he makes his way back over to sit on the sofa.

‘Are you supposed to be this warm? Was Liam ever this warm? How warm are you normally?’ Ian mutters, getting more and more worried the longer he feels Yev’s temperature. ‘Shit.’

Eventually, Yev struggles to get away from Ian’s hand and swivels around in his lap, starting to cry again.

‘Shit,’ Ian repeats, checking his watch. Mickey’s not due back for another half an hour and Yev’s just getting more and more restless. ‘Uh…’

Ian wipes a hand down his face and feels Yev’s body shake with another sneeze. He lets out a long wail this time and Ian’s not sure if he’s going to be able to calm him down again.

‘Hey, shh,’ he tries, bouncing Yev up and down on his knee but that only makes him cry harder. ‘You got a headache or somethin’?’ Ian attempts to coo, turning Yev back around on his lap so he can face him. Ian grimaces in worry at the warped expression on the baby’s face. ‘Okay, I’m texting Mickey, he’ll know what to do, right?’

Thing is, Mickey hasn’t really made too much of an effort with Yev (understandably), so there’s actually no guarantee he _will_ know what to do. But, if Ian’s going to fuck this up, he’s not doing it alone. He’s getting seriously worried about Yevgeny now since he’s a little out of practice with handling babies this young.

****

**_To: Mick_ **

_can u come home early? Yev’s sick_

Soothingly, Ian rubs a hand down Yev’s back and tries to slow his nervous leg movements. ‘Shh, it’s okay, Yev.’

Yev starts coughing again, and, paired with the sniffles he’s making, Ian begins to panic more.

‘You were fine before we went to sleep,’ Ian mumbles, frowning and scanning over Yev’s face. Although Ian thinks it’s kind of gross, he picks up Yev’s blanket and swipes it over the baby’s nose and tries to smile. ‘See? Gone! And this means we have an excuse to wash the blanket. It’ll be all nice and snuggly, Yevy. See?’

Yev scratches at his nose with his barely-there fingernails and starts to cry harder at the loud noise of Ian’s ringtone.

‘Shit, I thought it was on vibrate,’ Ian groans, scrambling to pick up his phone. ‘Hey, Mick.’

‘ _Jesus fuck, what the hell did you do to him_?’ Mickey opens with at the sound of the baby yelling.

Ian winces at Yev’s crying and speaks up more loudly to be heard over it. ‘I don’t think he’s feeling very well. He’s, yeah, he’s sick and, uh, I don’t… I don’t know what to do, can you come home?’

‘ _The fuck’s up with him_?’

Ian rolls his eyes and starts bouncing his leg again, beaming at Yev to try and get him to clam down as he sneezes again. ‘You think I fucking know?’ Ian replies through his grinning teeth.

‘ _Alright, I’ll just tell Kev I’m leavin’_.’

Ian listens out for Mickey’s voice as he excuses himself from the Alibi and keeps his phone pressed to his ear. He cradles Yev with his other arm and strokes his index finger over his rosy cheek.

‘ _You want me to stay on the phone with you while I walk back_?’ Mickey offers. Ian smiles softly and ducks his head.

‘That’s sweet, Mickey, but I kinda need both hands right now.’

‘ _Fuck. Yeah, okay, I’ll be back as fast as I can_.’

With that, Mickey hangs up, and Ian’s left with just Yevgeny again. The cries have died down to long whines now, and if Yev didn’t have a headache before, he definitely has one now. Ian throws his phone on the couch cushion next to him and the cuddles Yev close, swaying from side to side in his seat to try and soothe him more.

‘I wish I knew how to help you,’ Ian sighs into Yev’s hair. Yev grips at the fabric of Ian’s tank top with his tiny fingers and Ian can feel him dribbling onto his shoulder. It’s not the most pleasant of circumstances but at least Yev’s quietened down slightly.

It seems like hardly any time before Mickey’s practically busting down the door in his haste to get into the house and, of course, that starts up another round of crying.

‘Jesus, Mickey,’ Ian groans, rocking Yev back and forth again.

‘Shit, sorry…’ Mickey nibbles his bottom lip and watches Ian and Yev before slowly making his way over to the sofa and sitting down.

‘If you accidentally butt dial someone because you just sat on my phone and all they hear is a child’s scream, I’m gonna lose a few friends.’

‘Shut the fuck up,’ Mickey chuckles before his face falls again. Ian looks on with wide eyes as Mickey reaches over and runs his hand over the back of Yev’s head, cupping the back of his neck and stroking his thumb over the baby’s ear. ‘He okay?’ he asks hesitantly.

Ian shrugs but gives Mickey a small smile. ‘I don’t know. I think it’s just a cold, but you can't be too careful, right?’

Mickey nods slowly and leans back to shuck off his coat and throw it over the arm of the sofa. ‘Seems calmer though.’

Ian inclines his head and adjusts Yev against his shoulder so he can bury his nose in the baby’s neck. ‘I hope he’s okay. I really didn’t want to fuck this up.’

Mickey cocks an eyebrow and shuffles closer to Ian. ‘Fuck what up?’

Ian smiles weakly and then gently transfers an almost silent – bar the occasional sniff – Yev into Mickey’s lap. Mickey automatically holds him and there’s real worry etched onto his face like he’s scared about his son.

‘It’s the first time I’m looking after him. Don’t want to piss Svetlana off.’

Mickey shakes his head and gingerly leans forward to press a kiss to Ian’s temple, closing his eyes.

‘Or you. Didn’t wanna disappoint you,’ Ian adds tiredly through a yawn. Worrying drains all the energy out of him and Mickey looks just the same.

‘Just… Just go to sleep, Ian, we’ll sort it all out when Svetlana gets back,’ Mickey breathes against Ian’s skin. Mickey looks down and hadn’t even noticed Yevgeny’d fallen asleep. He makes sure Yev’s securely tucked between him and Ian and then settles down, closing his eyes again.

Svetlana hadn’t ever thought she’d return home to see Mickey, Ian and her son cuddled up together on the couch asleep like a family, but she can’t say she’s upset by it. Quite the opposite, actually.

**Author's Note:**

> [Send me prompts if you want to :)](http://southsidemilkovich.tumblr.com)


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